Methods for designing, manufacturing, installing, and/or maintenance of roofing accessories and systems of use thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for designing and installing solar roofing systems lack precision and efficiency, as they do not effectively utilize performance characteristics of individual roofing accessories, leading to suboptimal energy generation and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A computer-based system that processes digital images of roofs to model roof planes, simulates candidate layouts using roofing accessory data, and predicts utilization to determine optimal layouts for solar and non-solar roofing accessories, generating a solar roof design that maximizes energy generation while minimizing costs and construction time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manual methods are used for designing and installing solar roofing systems, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but precision and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital replica of the physical roof by capturing images and generating a 3D model, which serves as a virtual copy for simulation and optimization. This digital model allows precise measurement and analysis without physically altering or complicating the actual roof structure, thereby improving design precision while avoiding unnecessary physical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement and design methods with computational algorithms and software simulations. By using image processing, 3D modeling, and automated layout optimization, the system achieves higher precision without the limitations of manual techniques, while the complexity is managed through software rather than physical apparatus.
2Productivity
If traditional methods are used for installing solar roofing systems, then simplicity of installation is maintained, but productivity and energy generation efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs comprehensive simulations and optimizations before actual installation by evaluating multiple candidate layouts, predicting utilization based on performance characteristics, and selecting the optimal configuration in advance. This preliminary computational work eliminates the need for complex on-site decision-making during installation, thereby improving productivity while maintaining ease of operation through straightforward implementation of pre-determined designs.
3Loss of energy
If traditional design methods are used, then cost-effectiveness is maintained, but energy generation optimization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically varies and evaluates multiple parameters including layout configurations, accessory placements, and orientation arrangements to identify the optimal combination that maximizes energy generation. By changing and comparing different design parameters through simulation, the system achieves superior energy efficiency without incurring proportionally higher costs, as the optimization identifies the most effective use of available resources.
4Reliability
If detailed tracking of roofing accessories is implemented, then lifetime performance monitoring is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single comprehensive system: the same 3D model and simulation platform used for design optimization also serves as the foundation for lifetime performance tracking and analysis. By making the software system multi-functional, the patent achieves reliable performance monitoring without requiring separate complex data management infrastructure, thereby improving reliability while keeping data management complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of the present disclosure enable automated roof planning using a processor. The processor receives a digital image of a roof of a structure and models each roof plane of the roof to generate a roof model. The processor determines dimensions of each roof plane based on the roof model. The processor retrieves roofing accessory data from a database, the roofing accessory data solar roofing accessory part identifiers and solar roofing accessory part performance characteristics for solar roofing accessories. The processor simulates multiple candidate roof layouts based on the dimensions of each roof plan and the solar roofing accessory parts and determines a utilization prediction for each candidate layout. Based on each utilization prediction, the processor determines a particular roof layout having selected solar roofing accessory parts, and generates a solar roof design, including a list of materials, for the particular roof layout.